Prime Minister Imran Khan, already facing a growing challenge to his leadership from a joint coalition of 11 opposition parties, may find his matrix of problems much more complicated later when the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) looks at Pakistan’s record carefully. to stop the terror. The global terrorist financing watchdog is expected to conclude that Islamabad should remain on the gray list with a new set of compliances based on the October 2019 Mutual Evaluation Report (MEP). The Mutual Evaluation Report It is held in member countries every eight years.
According to Paris-based diplomats and counter-terrorism experts, the FATF plenary, which is to hold its virtual meeting on October 21-23, is likely to prepare a new action plan for Pakistan based on the October MEP. from 2019 and add points not compiled by Islamabad to the above 27 point action plan.
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While Islamabad routinely blames India for politicizing the FATF, the fact remains that Pakistan-based terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) are constantly targeting innocent civilians and forces. security in the territory of the union of Jammu and Kashmir. Kasim Jan de JeM, one of the main defendants in the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, remains the main culprit behind the sleeper cell terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir across India. Talha, the son of Outlaw LeT co-founder Hafiz Saeed, is actively involved in planning and executing terrorist actions against India with impunity.
Pakistan observers believe Prime Minister Imran Khan may try to harness his influence over the Taliban and the Haqqani network to negotiate a ceasefire in Afghanistan and try to buy some relief from the FATF. US President Donald Trump has already announced that US troops will return from Afghanistan before Christmas this year.
This is easier said than done, however, as the FATF 2019 mutual evaluation report says Pakistan faces significant money laundering and terrorist financing risks. “Various terrorist groups, including UN-listed groups, operate in Pakistan, all of whom raise funds through a variety of means, including direct support, public fundraising, abuse of non-profit organizations. profit and criminal activities. The funds move through formal and informal channels (mainly Hawala or Hundis). Pakistan’s geographic landscape and porous borders increase its vulnerability to terrorist financing and increase the risks associated with cash smuggling. At the time of the last assessment, there were 66 organizations and approximately 7,600 people outlawed under UN Security Council resolution 1373, which was passed to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts after the September 11 attacks. ” , indicates the report.
The MEP report on Pakistan further stated: “The main crimes of money laundering include corruption, drug trafficking, fraud, tax evasion, smuggling, human trafficking and organized crime. Corruption is endemic throughout the Pakistani economy … and is linked to a variety of other predicate offenses … Illicit predicate offense funds are generally money laundered through domestic real estate, precious gems / jewelry and the sector financial. Criminal proceeds are also transferred abroad through formal and informal channels. “
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Even though Pakistan has yet to comply with the previous 27-point action plan, the 2019 MEP paints a very bleak picture of Pakistan with caustic comments on its top enforcement agencies and federal agencies for not understanding the full meaning of money laundering and acts of financing of terrorism.
“On the basis of the 2019 MEP, a new assessment of Pakistan will be conducted and a set of tasks to be completed by Islamabad will be prepared. Under the circumstances, it is very difficult for Pakistan to get off the FATF gray list, ”said a counter-terrorism expert in New Delhi.
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The downside of Pakistan remaining on the gray list means it will be very difficult to get much-needed loans to revive a comatose economy and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s troubles will be further exacerbated by a united opposition, no longer afraid of all-powerful Pakistan. Army. On Thursday, Pak’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been a main force in cementing the opposition, said his problem was not with Imran Khan but with his selectors (Army). The FATF October plenary, which would likely keep Pakistan on the gray list, will only exacerbate political tensions in Islamabad.
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